Surviving the Dopey Challenge

Well...we are getting closer to the kick off of runDisney's Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend presented by Cigna! In my opinion, it is the largest runDisney event of the year. Quite fitting that it is also the first event of the year. With the introduction of the Walt Disney World 10K and the official Dopey Challenge, this year's event sold out faster than ever. I know I am very excited to earn all of the medals in just a few short weeks, and those of you that are joining me, I hope your training is going well.

So, people want to know how I am training and how I am going to be able to manage an insane 48.6 miles over 4 days. Well...um...I don't know exactly. But I do have a strategy laid out to help me not collapse at Mike and Sulley's feet like I did this year during the second leg of my Goofy at mile 23.

Thanks #CorralG for picking me up haha

So here's what the plan is:

TUESDAY
Arrive in Orlando, and head to Casa de Pelham for laughs dinner and more laughs. Unpack my gear and prepare for an insane 7 days.

WEDNESDAY
Slay the expo! Since I am going Dopey, I will want my Dopey jacket/hoodie/pullover (whatever they offer for men this coming year) and some other minor things for merchandise. I will pick up my bibs and all the tech tees. I am also assuming this is the morning the runDisney meet-up will be. That is a 100% Sharp assumption there is no confirmed fact to that statement...so don't go running said Sharp told you! lol! After the expo, I gather there will be free-play involved...perhaps a dole whip.

THURSDAY
5K! This race isn't timed so there isn't much of a need for me to become prince of the gazelles here. I will more than likely enjoy a smooth run with little speed and use this time for character stops and laughs. So this day is a cake walk. Post race, I am sure there will be nourishment and sustenance. Then more free time...perhaps Magic Kingdom.

FRIDAY
10K! So this is where I will need to get my head in the game. I am considering this run my shake out run. I won't be going out very fast. In fact, I plan to be consistent on this race with an hour finish time. Just enough to get my legs warm without breaking the sound barrier or encouraging an injury. If there are characters I have not encountered yet, I will stop. But this race, is to focus my mind on the prize and what's coming next. After the race, a little bit of free play, but it will be time to rest and get ready for the half. About time to get off my feet.

SATURDAY
HALF MARATHON! Last year I paced by friends Ruby and Erica during the half marathon and we finished around 3:30. This wasn't bad for me considering I had 26.2 to run the next day. I plan on being world faster this time around. I am looking to finish the race between 2:30-2:45. Again, just enough to get the  burners hot, but not enough to burn out the muscles. As time has gone on, I have gotten faster and stronger and my recovery time has shortened. So this pace will encourage a fast recovery IF I eat clean, massage properly, and rest my legs post race. So after the race, we shall dine on appropriate foods, and probably retire to Casa De Pelham for the afternoon in preparation for Sunday's event.

SUNDAY
MARATHON! Last year, it took #CorralG nearly 7 hours to finish will our character stops and we had the time of our lives. We laugh at that chip time now. This go around, my plan is to get a PR on this course. My standing PR is 4:54 from this year's Chicago Marathon, so I would really like to PR at Walt Disney World. I am familiar with the terrain, I am familiar with what I will encounter, so if the weather decided to behave (I know it's Florida it does what it wants) then we should be good to go! Post race....PARTY IN THE PARKS! I will have earned it!

The key to surviving this race isn't simple! It takes weeks of dedicated and focused training. The hard work comes all the way up to the event, so if you are behind on your training, you may want to get on the ball (responsibly of course I don't want to hear you got injured). The second part to surviving this race series is taking it easy and listening to your body. You don't need to PR every race...and in fact, you shouldn't be at 100% running each of them. Pace your way through the weekend. Then celebrate your awesome accomplishment in the parks with some booze, a Nutella waffle, or a dole whip...hell have all three!

I mean I do have Tinker Bell weekend the following week, so naturally I need some strength left. Yeah, it's out the bag...I will be going Coast-to-Coast at Tinker Bell again...participating in the 10K and half marathon. Yeah...

What is your plan or tackling Dopey?